Pallet having guiding means in all sides

ABSTRACT

DISCLOSED IS A PALLET HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM MEMBERS CONNECTED TOGETHER BY MEANS WHICH SPACE SAID MEMBERS TO ACCOMMODATE BETWEEN THEM LIFTING MEANS. THE CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDE UPRIGHT SUPPORT ELEMENTS, NEAR THE PERIMETER OF THE PALLET, WHICH ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO DEFINE IN ALL SIDES OF THE PALLET ENTRY WAYS THAT ADMIT THE LIFTING MEANS. THESE ENTRY WAYS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING SIDEWALLS WHICH INTERSECT THE PERIMETER OF THE PALLET TO DEFINE BETWEEN EACH SIDEWALL AND THE PERIMETER AN ACUTE ANGLE RANGING BETWEEN ABOUT 30* AND ABOUT 75* THE SIDEWALLS GUIDE THE LIFTING MEANS.

p 2141971 J. w. LUBKER u, ETAL 3,606,844

PALLET HAVING GUIDING MEANS IN ALL SIDES Filed Oct. 30, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 49 32 Q WM. .4 V .7 W40. Wu v H...

[6/ .72 -26 44 4/ 42 25. 34 r 34 :3 CD32 I i I 45- 6'0 60' 4 3/ 49 46 4a 45 30 mvmrons.

John W. Lubker, H

Leo Owen ATTORNEY P 21, 1971 J. w. LUBKER u, ETAL 3,606,844

PALLET HAVING GUIDING MEANS IN ALL SIDES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 30, 1969 INVENTORS. Jo/m Hf Lubker, 11

Leo E Owen gym ATTORNEY United States Patent 01 hce 3,606,844 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 3,606,844 PALLET HAVING GUIDING MEANS IN ALL SIDES John William Lubker II, and Leo Earnest Owen, Scymour, Ind., assignors to Standard Oil Company, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Oct. 30, 1969, Ser. No. 872,510 Int. Cl. B65d 19/18 US. Cl. 108-58 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed is a pallet having top and bottom members connected together by means which space said members to accommodate between them lifting means. The connecting means include upright support elements, near the perimeter of the pallet, which are spaced from each other to define in all sides of the pallet entryways that admit the lifting means. These entryways are characterized by having sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet to define between each sidewall and the perimeter an acute angle ranging between about 30 and about 75 The sidewalls guide the lifting means.

THE INVENTION We have invented a pallet having about equal size, generally flat and rigid, rectangular top and bottom members connected together by means which space the top and bottom members to accommodate between them lifting means such as the forks of a lift truck. These connecting means include an upright support element near each corner of the pallet, an upright support element near the perimeter of the pallet about midway between adjacent pairs of corners, and a support element near the center of the pallet. Support elements near the perimeter of the pallet are spaced from each other to define in all sides of the pallet entryways which admit lifting means. The corner support elements and support elements between corners are characterized by having sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet to define be- I tween each sidewall and the perimeter an acute angle ranging between about 30 and about 75. Adjacent pairs of sidewalls form the entryways and also serve as guide surfaces. Thus, if the forks of a lift truck are improperly aligned as they approach the entryways, the sidewalls aligned them properly. This is the most important feature of our pallet, because it greatly facilitates handling.

Our pallet also has other important features. It can be easily and inexpensively constructed, it has strength and durability, and it permits entry of the forks of a lift truck approaching the pallet from any one of the pallets four sides. Although our pallet can be made of any material having adequate strength, we prefer using foam plastic such as polyethylene, because the pallet can then be mass produced using known molding techniques. Our design also minimizes the material required without sacrificing strength; thus material costs are reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of our pallet.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3a through 30 are fragmentary cross-sectional views showing alternate center support elements.

FIGS. 4a and 4b are fragmentary cross-sectional views showing alternate corner support elements.

FIGS. 5a and 5b are fragmentary cross-sectional views showing alternate side support elements.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As depicted in FIG. 1, pallet 10 of our invention has top and bottom members 12 and 14, respectively, which are about equal in size (40 in. x 48 in.). Both these members 12 and 14 are flat, rigid, and rectangular in shape. Edges 16 and 18 of bottom members 14 are chamfered to allow wheel entry of hand trucks. Slots 20' in top and bottom members 12 and 14 cut down on material cost and provide openings for securing a load to pallet 10 with ropes or the like.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, top and bottom members 12 and 14 are connected together by connecting means which include corner support elements 23-26, side support elements 38-41, and center support element 50.

Corner support elements 23-26 intersect the pallets corners 28-31, with each of these corner support elements 23-26 having vertical sidewalls 32 and 34. Between these sidewalls 32 and 34 and the pallets perimeter 36, there is defined an acute angle of about 45 Side support elements 38-41 are near the pallets perimeter 36 about midway between adjacent pairs of corners. Each of these side support elements 38-41 includes external vertical sidewalls 42 and 44 which intersect the pallets perimeter 36. These sidewalls 42 and 44 and the perimeter 36 defined between them an acute angle which may range between 30 and however, FIG. 2 depicts the preferred angle of 60. Side support elements 38-41 also include vertical sidewalls 46 flush with perimeter 36. These sidewalls 46 connect sidewalls 42 and 44.

Because of the spatial arrangement of corner support elements 23-26 and side support elements 38-41, two entryways 48 and 49 are provided in all four sides of pallet 10. Adjacent pairs of sidewalls 32 and 42 define entryways 48, and adjacent pairs of sidewalls 34 and 44 define entryways 49. These sidewalls serve as guide means for aligning the forks of a lift truck as they approach pallet 10. Thus misaligned forks will glance off these sidewalls and be directed into entryways 48' and 49.

Center support element 50 prevents pallet 10 from collapsing at the center. FIG. 2 depicts octagonal shaped center support element 50, FIG. 3a depicts diamond shaped center support element 52, FIG. 3b depicts hexagonal shaped center support 54, and FIG. 30 depicts X- shaped center support element 56. Any of these alternate center support elements 50, 52, 54, and 56 could be used interchangeably.

FIG. 4a illustrates an alternate corner support element 58 which includes a pair of plates 60 and 62 which straddle a nearby corner of pallet '10 and converge to form a V- shaped component. Each of these plates 60 and 62 has an external vertical sidewall 64 and internal vertical sidewall 66 which intersect the pallets perimeter 36. Sidewalls 64 and perimeter 36 defined between them an acute angle which may range between about 30 and 75, and as shown in FIG. 411, preferably is about 60 Sidewalls 66 and perimeter 36 define between them an obtuse angle which may range between about and 150, and as shown in FIG. 4a, preferably is about FIG. 4b illustrates another alternate corner support element 70 which includes a pair of spaced parallel plates 72 and 74 which straddle a nearby corner. Each plate has an external vertical sidewall 76 and an internal vertical sidewall 78 which intersect the pallets perimeter 36. Sidewalls 76 and perimeter 36 defined between them an acute angle which may range between about 30 and 75 and as shown in FIG. 4a, preferably is about 45 Sidewalls 78 and perimeter 36 defined between them an obtuse angle which may range between about 105 and and as shown in FIG. 411, preferably is about'135 FIG. 5a depicts an alternate side support element 80 which includes a pair of plates 82 and 84 that converge to. form a V-shaped component. The point of convergence 86 of plates 82 and 8 4 is immediately adjacent to the pallets perimeter 36. This V-shaped component has a pair of external sidewalls 88 and 90 which intersect the perimeter 36 so that between the perimeter and these sidewalls there is defined an acute angle which may range between about 30 and 75 and as depicted in FIG. 5a, preferably is about '60 FIG. 5b shows yet another alternate side support element 92 which includes a pair of spaced plates 94 and 96 that intersect the pallets perimeter 36. Each of these plates has an external vertical sidewall 98 and an internal vertical sidewall 100. Sidewalls 98 and perimeter 36 defined an acute angle which may range between 30 and 75, and as depicted in FIG. 5a preferably is about 60. Sidewalls 100 and perimeter 36 defined an obtuse angle which may range between 105 and 150, and as depicted in FIG. 5 b, preferably is about 120.

' Many diiferent combinations of the support elements shown in the figures are possible. It is not important how these support elements are combined. It is, however, important that the external sidewalls of the support elements and the perimeter of the pallet defined between them an acute angle ranging between about 30 and 75. Such sidewalls then provide guideways which facilitate the entrance of the forks of a lift truck, As previously mentioned, the pallet preferably is made by a foam plasticQThis reduces the cost and facilitates mass production of the pallet using known molding techniques.

We claim:

' 1. A pallet having about equal size, generally flat and rigid, rectangular top and bottom members connected together by means which space said members to accommodate between them lifting means, said connecting means including an upright support element near each corner of the pallet, an upright support near the perimeter of the pallet about midway between adjacent pairs of corners, and an upright support element near the center of the pallet, said support elements near the corners and the perimeter of the pallet having generally flat sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet to define between each sidewall and the perimeter an acute angle ranging between about 30 and about 75 adjacent pairs of corner and perimeter sidewalls being spaced from each other and tapering inwardly toward each other to define in all sides of the pallet entryways which admit the lifting means and to provide guide surfaces which properly align the lifting means.

-2.' The pallet defined in claim 1 made from foam plastic using a molding technique.

3. The pallet defined in claim -1 wherein the top and bottom members have slots therein.

A. The pallet defined in claim '1 wherein the corner support elements each include a pair of spaced parallel plates which straddle a nearby corner, each plate having external and internal vertical sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet, the external sidewall and the perimeter 4 defining between them an acute angle ranging between about 30 and and the internal sidewall and the perimeter defining between them an acuate angle ranging between about and about 5. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the corner support elements each include a pair of plates which straddle a nearby corner and converge to form a V-shaped component, each of said plates having external and internal vertical sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet, the external sidewall and the perimeter defining between them an acute angle ranging between about 30 and 75, and the internal sidewall and perimeter defining between them an acute angle ranging between about 105 and 150.

6. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein each corner support element includes a plate which intersects the corner nearest said plate, said plate having a pair of vertical sidewalls with each sidewall and the perimeter defining between them an angle of about 45 v7. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the support elements between adjacent corners each include a structure having a pair of external vertical sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet, each of said external sidewalls and the perimeter defining between them an acute angle ranging between about 30 and 75 8. The pallet defined in claim 7 wherein said sidewalls are connected together by an external vertical sidewall which is flushed with the perimeter of the pallet.

9. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the support elements between adjacent corners each include a pair of plates which converge to form a V-shaped component with the point of convergence of said plates being adjacent to the perimeter of the pallet, said V-shaped component having a pair of external sidewalls which intersect the perimeter of the pallet, each of said sidewalls and the perimeter defining between them an acute angle ranging between about 30 and 75 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,129 2/1951 Fletcher 108-52 2,691,499 10/1954 Watts 10858X 2,908,464 1 0/ 1959 Traudt, et al. 10858X 2,890,849. 6/1959 Fogarty, et a1. 108--58 3,007,663 11/1961 Huck 10857 3,207,096 9/1965 Munroe 10858 3,269,336 18/ 1966 Naylor et al. 10858 3,380,403 4/1968 Sullivan 108-51 3,407,758 10/ 1968 Simkin's 10857X 3,511,191 5/1970 Barry, Jr. et al l08-51 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 108-5 1 

